Walsh Jesuit pitcher Ryan Feltner a contender for baseball's player of the year: weekly MVP spotlight for May 29, 2014 (poll)

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio – Walsh Jesuit's Ryan Feltner is the only junior that cracked this year's Northeast Ohio Media Group baseball contender Player of the Year list.

When you've been named the top pitcher of your school since your freshman year and help your team to an undefeated regular season by your junior year, you draw some attention to yourself.

The Warriors wanted nothing less than a state title this year. Their lone loss came during the one-and-done playoff system in a district championship loss to Hudson.

So what it Feltner looking forward to his senior season? Another shot to win a state championship.

"I feel like not just for me but for my whole junior class, we work so hard and we all workout in the offseason together and long toss and do all the things necessary to get us ready for the season," Feltner said. "I just want it for the other guys."

Each week, Northeast Ohio Media Group baseball reporters Stephanie Kuzydym and Lexi Pluym will spotlight a player who is a candidate to win cleveland.com's Player of the Year award.

With all of the debate over top players, who do you think are the top candidates to win player of the year? Nominate a player you think should be in the discussion in the comments.

There's also a poll at the bottom of the post. But remember, those votes are just for fun and won't determine who wins the award at the end of the season.

"I know," Feltner said about his bean-pole frame. "I’m working on it."

Fastball tops out at: 91 miles per hour

Curveball tops out at : 67

"It’s pretty slow," Feltner said.

Slider tops out at: 75 mph

Pitching stats: 6-0 in 39 IP, 18 BBs, 48 Ks, 1.45 ERA

Hitting stats: 15 hits in 57 at bats, .263 BA, 2 2B, 2 HR, 14 RBI.

First time you played baseball: Age 4 in Kentucky.

"I lived there for a while. I’m pretty sure it was at the YMCA t-ball league."

Earliest memory of playing: Age 7 playing coach pitch with his dad.

"We won the championship. I was on the Pirates. It was kind of cool. It brought me really close to my dad and baseball was kind of what brings us close together."

Where his dad used to play: Central Florida as a pitcher.

What Feltner's dad taught him: His curveball.

"He relied on his offspeed stuff. He has pretty good offspeed pitches. I learned how to throw my curveball kind of young, which I know isn't good, but I'm glad I did because it's been developing a lot better."

Piece of advice his dad always gives him: Get ahead and stay ahead.

"Get ahead in the count and don’t fall behind."

Favorite part of being a pitcher: Being involved in every play.

"I like to challenge for hitters a lot. I don’t like to mess around."

Best baseball memory: His 12U team from Kentucky playing in the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen Maryland.

"We had to win to district, states and regionals to get there. We did okay. We won our first two games and ended up losing to a team from California I think. I still have all the jerseys."

The difference Ohio and Kentucky baseball: Kentucky weather allows you to play more games.

"There’s not as many rainouts and it goes deeper into the seasons like the winters and fall."

On the pressure of being ranked nationally (The Warriors reached as high as No. 3 in MaxPreps and No. 9 in USA TODAY): "For me, it wasn’t really pressure. I thought that we could live up to it, but I don’t know. I don’t think any of us really looked at it as pressure. We were just honored by it and tried to live up to it. I don’t think it added any pressure to us. We didn’t pay too much attention to it."

College: Ohio State.

To study: Business.

What he’s looking forward to about Ohio State: The coaching staff and the chance to make a statement in the Big Ten.

"I just feel like I can get better. I want to help them win a Big Ten championship and even go farther. I’m excited plus (Walsh Jesuit teammate) Nate (Romans) is going there. That’ll be cool to keep playing with him."

Life goals: "The main one is to play in the major leagues, for sure. And be a good dad some day."

Past honors: Pitcher of the Year for Walsh last two years (sophomore and freshman year). 2013 second team All-ohio Division I. Third lowest ERA in Ohio in 2013 (.58 ERA)

Favorite player in the major leagues: Kansas City Royals rookie Yordano Ventura

"This year, my leg kick was kind of weird and I didn’t know what was going on with my mechanics a little bit, saw him on MLB network. He has a different looking leg kick so I copied that and in open gyms I went from like 85 to 89 just from changing to that leg kick. It was kind of weird, I just saw it on tv and tried it out and it ended up helping me a lot."

What people should know about him that they don’t: "I work for everything I have. Some people would say I naturally throw hard and I’m naturally gifted. Some of that is true but I have to work really hard in the offseason. It just doesn’t come natural."

What going undefeated in a regular season was like: "It was awesome. I was proud of our team because we didn’t take any game for granted, really. We could have just assumed we were going to win, but we were still hungry every game went out and played to the best of our abilities every game.

"It was cool to see our ranking going up in the nation. It was really fun. It was hard to see the seniors leave because they were such great leaders. It was my favorite season so far at Walsh."

Anything else he wants people to know: "We want to win a state championship next year."

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